Looking forward to 2023, I would like to share a few thoughts on Super Rugby (men and women) going forward, especially Super Rugby Pacific. I would like to keep it positive especially given all the horrendous negativity in my job at present.
This could very well be part one.
And by that, I mean the local derby rounds have to go. Hear me out: to make space for future expansion or a crossover competition, we can’t afford to add to the playing schedule. At best, we need to play Tetris with it. This means Super Rugby will return to the format it was originally designed to be: an elite cap on an existing domestic competition. Domestic competitions will feed into the Super competition.
For New Zealand, not much may need to change. There can be an overlap of the two if need be. Fiji Rugby’s set-up is similar to New Zealand’s: 26 provinces with challenge “cup” competition; Samoa and Tonga may need to leverage off Australia and NZ playing bases.
Australia, to ensure popular local games, can use its five Super teams in a pre-Super domestic competition and add another team, perhaps based in South Australia or Tasmania given travel considerations. Conferences should have an even number of teams.
This needs careful consideration and there are legal aspects to it that I probably can’t imagine. But the establishment of an independent body to govern Super Rugby matters is a step forward in that direction.
Australia needs this more than NZ but both may benefit. One impact of this may be the creation of a Super Rugby bloc; Super Rugby is a fragmented competition due largely to geography. The competition’s current conference format didn’t work as well as it should have simply because there were not enough teams involved. A five-team format is always going to struggle.
Super Rugby needs to do more to compete in the face of the European threat (and no, I’m not talking about Russia’s ex-rugby fullback Vladimir “Bozo” Putin). Beef up the conferences. Have a Pan-American conference involving two teams from Argentina, USA, Canada. Add Hawaii to the Super Rugby Pacific zone, keep the Drua in the Australian conference.
Possibly have an Africa conference but that would largely depend on South Africa. Japan can play in a cross-over competition. Each conference would have to make its own financial and sponsorship arrangements but the governing body could also negotiate naming and broadcast (TV and online).
The games need to be marketed better. Looking at you, NZ; you avoided adding place names to your franchise teams because of the geographical reach of these franchises but a name like “Blues” fails to resonate outside their own market, especially in a country like Australia where there is an rugby league team with the same name.
A name like ‘Hurricanes’ can be confused with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.
For tragic reasons, the Crusaders had to rebrand their logo and it seems to have worked. This marketing can be done online (too many platforms to name). The presence of marquee players may also help. These place names can also serve a tourism promotional role as well.
I could go on but there two ominous guys in suits who just turned up, asking questions in Russian and mentioning the word “Bozo” a lot. I feel I must move on.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Why don't you demand that system for every other sport Jacko???
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Silvio Berlusconi financed a team in the 90s/00s in Milan. They did well in the Champions Cup for an Italian side. Its not the heartland but not a millions miles away
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
I'm not privvy to the SL model that was used. That figure is SL's and SL will take they expectations, and strategies, to market. But that number would be an approximation; we're not talking just about TV viewers here. We could be talking about people who are aware of the ABs, bought their jersey or merchandise, people who watch the streaming rights. I think/suspect that RA has been fed in or monitored NZR's talks with SL to learn from their experience. I wonder about the SL modelling sometimes given that a few years ago, the ABs played Italy at San Siro Stadium in Milan (non-rugby region) and packed it out. Anyway, still pie in the sky stuff. Will be watching to see how that develops. Time to write another article!! :happy:
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Utah has a large number of PIs plus large numbers of men who have spent 2-4 years in other countries sizable number in rugby nations (depending on Church or military service) so not surprised it happened in SLC. I could tell you most NFL, NBA teams from 2 years in Vegas, ain't a fan of any of those teams. Either way if NZRU and SL are building models off the 250m figure it could be a difficult few years. 857m watched the last WC but if you watched 10 games you count as 10 people. 51.3m watched the 2019 final on TV 63% higher than 2015 (31.5m) If two of the biggest nations in rugby could only muster just over 51m compared to NZ which only got 31m in 2015 then 250m seems well off. Japan's highest viewed game was against Scotland with 54.8m viewers. Finding it difficult to find a breakdown of views by nation but if NZ had been highest I am sure it would be mentioned.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
I'm don't know what modelling SL used to come to that number but this was a global headcount, not confined to western europe. For example, I sat in a plane on the tarmac at Salt Lake City in Utah wearing an All Black cap; a local guy walking passed recognised the cap. That could count as fan recognition and MAY be something that counts in the modelling. Not to mention a Hollywood movie!
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Putting AB fans at 250m people is probably bigger than what the rest of the Unions would value their fans. If the other 9 Nations out it 150m I would be surprised and numbers only reduce from there. I would guess France, SA and France would probably say about 25m fans as they know how many watch games apart from one off WC finals.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
SL don't see the ABs as bigger than the rest of the world; hard to do that when the country involved has a population a half, third or quarter of some of the big world cities. SL see ABs as an valuable asset in an emerging world sport market; that's why they're spending money. CVC has made it clear it would prefer not to spend in the SH. Fair enough. But the ABs, from a corporate sense, have been somewhat proactive in trying to spread their brand. They got some big name global brands on board (a big call for a small country whose main claim to international fame these days was PJ's movies). They've played games in neutral venues; call it pimping all you want but at least NZ Rugby is doing something. They've "marketing weaponised" the haka as a point of difference in trying to enter non-rugby markets. I wouldn't be surprised if NZ schedules a game in Germany at some point, especially if German Anton Segner can make the AB squad. There had been talk. They're invested overseas (hedge funds??) which allowed them to build a big cash surplus that stood them in good stead during the 2020-21 pandemic. And if NZ R does charge a fee to play in these neutral fees, it will hardly be on a Man City scale (another SL team). And all Tests (especially T1) are part of a 10-year calendar fixed in advance. NZ in the past has shown a willingness to walk away from it. Not sure what the present situation but I have noted that England and NZ do play each other surprisingly infrequently. RA needs to be more vocal in what it is doing; not enough is being conveyed to their fans apart from a general "trust me, we know what we're doing" vibe.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
CVC focus is Europe as its were the money is. T14 revenue a year is about $500m a year which is why they don't need CVC. They have talked with SA which they see as part of their goal. Both CVC and SL pay a lump sum up front for future revenue. SL will be receiving a fee each year that will pay back in a certain time period. Yes they view ABs as being bigger than the rest of the Rugby world combined (good lucky if they really believe it), but few markets are able to be tapped by SL or NZR unless its tests outside windows against Oz and then T2 nations which you have to wonder how much can be raised by that as only USA and Japan can afford the fee. Only other choice is to sell jerseys and pimp out the ABs all over the world to do as many commercial events as possible. TV deals are commercial and will be part of it as its about 60% of the NZR revenue based on 100m per year deal. Its hard for a union to sell rights outside their country to their games as all the T1 test games except the July tests are controlled worldwide by organisations such as any game in a test window except July for the 6N owns the worldwide rights except for the participating team not in the 6N which is allowed to sell the rights for its games in their nation only. The reason July test aren't sold by SANZAAR is probably because NZR feel they get more than sharing with the other 3 nations.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Fair enough. French Rugby is eating everyone's dinner apart from Japan. Japan has the advantage in getting Oz and NZ players as each NH side only have 3 non kolpac players from NZ/Oz as only 2 can play in match day 23. Japan doesn't have that rule which is why they can pay big for Banks were as it would be a big risk fir a French club to give up one of the 3 places to a young enough player. With the JIFF less older players can move to France meaning its often value for money unless you are a big player.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Under the SL deal as I understand it, if SL wants to make more money, they have to grow the commercial rights. That's why they assessed the ABs fan base worldwide as something like 250m people. It's a start. The original SL deal called for a 15% stake for more money so both have been dialed back. SL crunched the numbers and estimated the ABs worth at $3b, apparently. I am not sure if the deal with Sky is separate. Perhaps NZR can leverage its game going forward off that. What exactly has been RA doing apart from having talks? If they sign with SL, there is a chance of creating a bloc and maybe getting more money. And it looks like CVC's goals are in the North according to a RW interview I just Googled. Fair enough. They hold a 27% stake the Premiership and Pro14 rugby.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Tui the brewer? I really want to go to that game! Big stadium experience so-so; in a cow paddock next door to a brewery? Special!!
woodart
Roar Rookie
pre-season super games should ALWAYS be played in smaller centres. to do otherwise is to completely ignore yr grassroots. the hurricanes have 2-3 times played on a makeshift feild in a paddock next to a rural breweryin a town called maingatanoka(pop200).gets a crowd of 8-9000.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
In terms of black hole, I meant more of a player drain. Should have clarified.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
I take issue with English game being a black hole as average income is about €20m meaning the league brings in about 100m more than the NZRU. Yes they spend to much on wages but could easily survive with a cap about 20% higher than SRP. Wasps and Wuss have dropped down the ladder, Wasps realistically for 1 year. As previous pointed out in 2005 NPC wage cap was on par with Prem so both had about 14 professional team at the time. As you have said yourself NPC is not professional so that is going from 14 to 5 teams compared from 14 to 12 (Ealing being #12). Scotland are similar in population but not rugby interest. Big part in SRU success is having 60k show up for each of the 6 home games giving them a sizeable war chest to do things. When they were averaging NZ attendances they struggled financially but the extra 100k coming now paying 50 each makes a big difference.
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
Main issues with F1 was they took races from Western Europe mainly and made it more global. Don't see that being a bad thing with rugby. Agree not good to have everything under CVC but SL seem uninterested in building up the Pacific Region.. SL have a share of the commercial arm (powered by the ABs) which means they get the income before all the loss makers are added in so like the Prem teams income is reduced by about 10% each year unless NZ make more money. This means that NZR could have to make 30m more this year just to stay in the same place as 2021 or 2022 depending when the deal kicks in. 30m is based on about 20m to SL on current revenue plus the extra 3m to cover the wxtra 30m and 10m between Women going professional and RA payment. TV deals, sponsers etc will have 12.5% going to SL and the remaining 87.5% to pay the bills, the record deal with Sky will need to be 12.5% higher just to be the same as last time. Hopefully the review goes well and things get sorted or else it could be RA size problems. 6N is not without its problems but CVC has increased TV and other commercial revenues by alot (see SRU and FIR income increases pre and post Covid) and 6 Nations owns all their rights except WC. NZR however only own their domestic rights and July tour while 6N/CVC own Autumn series outside of NZ for NZ games, SANZAAR owns RC and Ra part of SR. If SL get a massive deal in the US for the RC or Autumn series that money goes back to 6Ns or SANZAAR who hold those commercial rights.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Semi-professionals. Which would make up the vast bulk of the NPC playing group.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Any other country wanting to follow the NZ model is asking for trouble, BNHF. They have to adopt their own. The NPC works for NZ; for many of the last 20 years has NZ been ranked number one in the world (recent bad form aside). Scotland's population is roughly on a par with NZ but Scotland has land connections to the reportedly wealthy English game and even to France thanks to the Chunnel. It would also seem that the English game is a black hole: NZ never had to fold its provincial clubs; it merged one or two, sure, but nothing like what happened to Wasps and Worcester.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
They flirt with it on and off but really took the pandemic to force the Aussie sides to play out Sydney and Brisbane.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
what kind of full-time or even semi-fulltime professional has to work a job? The incentive payment is to ensure they stay fit given the importance of physical fitness. This is a smart way to manage players who are not making a fulltime living from the game.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
NZ Rugby set up a commercial arm into which SL bought 12.5 per cent. SL did not buy into NZ Rugby directly. NZ Rugby is also about to start a governance review to better manage the new financial reality. And a lot of people in F1 have clearly defined, and unhappy, views about how well CVC handled their sport so there is danger in letting one sport fall under the sway of one investor/paymaster.